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The locally owned fancy beer store was desperate for coins last weekend. I cashed in $145 dollars worth of pocket change. I even brought home a few dollars after buying beer to impress the wife!
A friend brought his Miata to me to look over the car.
2003, with about 60K miles. Gorgeous car. Black with tan interior and wood accents.
I got the car on the lift and it was just a horror story.
RUST.
Chassis rails forward of the spots where the sub frame bolts on were rusted through.
All control arms have rust on them.
Both sub frames are rusted.
Someone must have left this car on a beach (pretty close to the sea) over the winter.
Chassis rails:
I had to do something, so I did this:
Everything under the car will be media blasted and powder coated.
Yes, even the heat shields.
The car will get new bushings, new suspension, pretty much new everything.
And yes, pretty much every nut and bolt was a nightmare to break loose.
Couple more pics:
Took me under an hour to drop the engine+gearbox. I even left the driveshaft attached.
I am going to cut out the rusted sections of the chassis, get U sections bent, drill all necessary holes and match the original shape(s) and weld them in before rust proofing and painting them.
I'll change all fluids, replace the timing belt, change all seals, put on new engine mounts, plugs, all filters, belts, t-stat, pcv, whatever can be replaced.
20k? Jesus, I thought Greek ones were expensive. There are a few places in UK selling replacement panels/sheetmetal for all you mentioned, including pre-welded captive nuts, worth a look.
Crappy Chinese copy of Japanese Komatsu wheel loader right down to paint and decals indicates they are in a backwater country. Using fuel to remove a 500-600 lb tire from a split rim wheel is exciting and not the way it is done here.
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